This document provides guidance for analyzing music videos using 7 key ideas identified by Andrew Goodwin. It then analyzes the James Blunt song "Heart to Heart" based on these ideas. The summary focuses on the analysis of the Blunt video: The James Blunt "Heart to Heart" video follows some genre conventions through its focus on narrative and simple concept/cuts, but defies conventions by lacking fast motions, bright colors, and a narrative that fully matches the lyrics. The relationship between the lyrics and visuals, and between the music and visuals, is not always strong but sometimes links on cuts that follow conventional beat patterns. The video contains several close-ups of Blunt but no recurring star image motifs or

1. Detailed analysis of music videos
Use the below table to help structure your notes when analysing music video. High
grade responses make sustained reference to appropriate theory.
Andrew Goodwin - 7 key ideas to identify
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performances in metal videos,dance routines for
boy/girl bands)
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative,amplifying or contradicting)
3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative,amplifying or contradicting)
4. The demands ofthe record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may
develop motifs which recur across their work (e.g. A visual style)
5. There are frequentreferences to the notion of looking (screens within screens,telescopes, etc) and particularly
voyeuristic (sexual) treatmentof the female body
6. There is often intertextual references (to films,TV programmes,other music videos,etc)
7. Whether the video is primarily performance-based,narrative-based or concept-based and howelementof
each is used in it
Artist:
JAMES BLUNT
Song title:
HEART TO HEART
Concept/narrative:
SOFT ROCK: LOVE STORY THAT ENDED
Features Observations Examples
Genre
characteristics
Follows:
 Focus on narrative
 Simple concept
and narrative
 Simple cuts
Defies:
 Fast motions
 Bright colours
 Narrative did not
match the lyrics as
much
 High key lighting
 Short shots
 A live performance

2. Relationship
between lyrics
and visuals
Does not have a strong
relationship most of the
time, but at certain times
they link slightly.
Relationship
between music
and visuals
Shots usually cut on the
4th/8th beat, which follows
conventions.
Some parts cut on the 3rd
beat (e.g. to the right).
25 seconds into the song

3. Are there close
ups of the artists
and star image
motifs?
Several close up images
No star image motfs.
Is there
reference to the
notion of
looking?
One example. Creates
like an insight to people’s
lives and makes the
audience understand
people’s social behaviour.
Are the
examples of
intertextual
references?
None
Is the video
category
illustration,
amplification or
contradicting?
How much of
each?
Not illustrative
Amplification s represent
on several occasions
Contradicting is used
most as the video
portrays a journey
See second box for examples